State Street-Area Eateries, Boutiques See Most Holiday Season Changes

As triple-net leases continue to rise on and around State Street, the holiday season brings only a few replacements for the businesses that left the scene during the past six months.

At least five more State Street Corridor restaurants, a half-dozen clothing shops and two jewelry stores have gone under recently.

After 60 years, Churchill Jewelers is closing its location at 1015 State St. And, after just a few years of South Coast operation, Gauthier Jewelry, 921 State St., has moved out. The company has its main office in Scottsdale, Ariz., and another spot in Phoenix.

On the bright side, the high-end Somerset Restaurant is getting ready to open where the Arts & Letters Cafe used to be at 7 E. Anapamu St. Also down State Street, at the corner of Chapala and Cota streets, a large commercial project is taking shape where a derelict used-car lot and machine shop once was. The structure extends east on Cota to Fig Street and bears some similarities in exterior appearance to the Mill on Haley Street.

Meanwhile, the restaurant simply known as Julienne, at 138 E. Canon Perdido St., next to the former Sojourner’s space, is closing. Sojourner’s closed earlier this year after almost four decades in operation.

Another closing eatery, Hungry Cat, was known for serving local seafood at the corner of Chapala and Anapamu streets. Gandolfo’s New York Deli, 718 State St., has taken a powder after less than a year. And, Mac’s Fish & Chips, 503 State st., is closed and expected to be replaced by Hana Kitchen, now at 5 E. Haley St, which serves “Asian fusion” food.

In the nearby Public Market at Chapala and Victoria streets, several spaces for food sellers remain vacant. The new Garden sports bar appears to be gaining a following.

After a summer of closing boutiques on the 900 block of State Street, a new women’s clothing retailer, Brandy & Melville opened recently at the corner of State and Carrillo streets where K. Stars used to be.

One long-vacant space at 915 State St., has been completely gutted to accommodate an entirely new enterprise. That space has been empty for almost a decade. At least two vacant storefronts can be found on most State Street blocks now that the seasonal Halloween stores have moved out.